The present invention relates to a system for managing a trouble occurring in a device connected to a network, and more particularly, to a remote trouble management system for managing a trouble occurring in a device from a distance.
To perform maintenance of a plurality of intracompany devices, including a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, a multi-function device furnished with a plurality of functions, such as copying, printing and facsimile functions, companies have been adopting a method for managing these devices collectively at one location by interconnecting these devices through a network.
In an example method for managing devices interconnected through the network, a trouble occurring in each device is managed by an outside trouble management company through a modem and a telephone line, for example.
To be more specific, each device is furnished with a function for enabling the outside trouble management company to check the operating condition through the modem connected to the telephone line, and the outside company checks the operating condition of each device periodically through the telephone line using the above function to find if there is any trouble in each device.
However, the above method using the modem and telephone line has the following problems:
{circle around (1)} A communication fee is borne because this method uses the telephone line.
{circle around (2)} The devices are checked at the trouble management company""s convenience, that is, in accordance with the management schedule. Therefore, it is very difficult to obtain trouble information from the device upon occurrence of the trouble.
{circle around (3)} The trouble management company receives the trouble information in the first place, and forwards the same to those who should know it. Thus, there is a time lag since the trouble occurred until the trouble information is forwarded to the last person. Moreover, this process is tedious and demands much time and labor.
{circle around (4)} When notified of the trouble occurring in any of the devices interconnected through the network inside the company by the outside trouble management company, an intracompany network administrator or a user of the device in trouble must find a troubleshooting method or to whom he should claim for the damages in the manual, or place a purchase order in case that consumable goods are used up.
To eliminate these troubles, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 297826/1995 (Tokukaihei No. 7-297826), published on Nov. 10, 1995, discloses a trouble management method for notifying the occurrence of a trouble in any of the devices interconnected through the network to the intracompany network administrator and outside trouble management company by sending the trouble information through e-mails.
According to the trouble management method disclosed in the above publication, the e-mail is used as the means for notifying a trouble occurring in any of the devices. Therefore, it has become possible to send the trouble information simultaneously to those who should know it, such as the intracompany network administrator, the outside trouble management company, and an outside parts service company, in a very simple manner.
In addition, although the e-mails are sent through the telephone line, only a communication fee to the nearest mail server is charged in general. Hence, the above method can save the communication fee compared with the method of checking the operating condition of each device through the telephone line.
However, the management method using the e-mails has a unique problem arising from the use of the e-mails. Also, the above management method has another problem that it can not serve as stable trouble information sending means.
To be more specific, when the trouble information is sent through the e-mails, there may be a time lag until the trouble information is received by the intracompany network administrator and outside trouble management company. Therefore, even if the currently occurring trouble has to be handled urgently, the intracompany network administrator and outside trouble management company may not be able to take an immediate troubleshooting action.
Also, the e-mails may be lost somewhere in the communication passage, and will not be received by the intracompany network administrator and outside trouble management company.
Further, in the management method using the e-mails, the e-mail receiver will not know the trouble information until he reads the e-mail. Thus, a trouble can be notified simultaneously to those who should know it, such as the intracompany network administrator and the outside trouble management company, but there may be a time lag since the trouble has occurred until the e-mail receivers read the e-mails. Therefore, even if the currently occurring trouble has to be handled urgently, the intracompany network administrator and outside trouble management company may not be able to take an immediate troubleshooting action.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a remote trouble management system which can notify a trouble occurring in any of the intracompany devices interconnected through the network to the intracompany network administrator, outside trouble management company, etc. from a distance in real time, so that an immediate and correct troubleshooting action can be taken.
To fulfill the above and other objects, a remote trouble management system of the present invention is furnished with:
a plurality of devices connected to an intranet; and
a plurality of management servers for managing the plurality of devices individually through the intranet or an internet connected to the intranet,
wherein each of the plurality of devices includes a trouble information notifying unit for, when a trouble occurs therein, notifying the trouble to the plurality of management servers by sending trouble information through a request/response type protocol, in which a request receiver returns a response, upon receipt of a request, to a request sender.
In the above remote trouble management system, the trouble information notifying unit provided in the device notifies the trouble occurring therein to the management server through the request/response type protocol, in which a request receiver returns a response, upon receipt of a request, to a request sender. Thus, the information of the trouble occurring in the device can be sent to the management server in a reliable manner, and information responding to the trouble information can be returned from the management server which has received the trouble information.
It is preferable that the protocol has a function to pass through the security system established on the intranet or internet or on both.
Accordingly, a trouble occurring in any of the devices interconnected through the network can be notified not only to the intracompany network administrator, but also to the outside trouble management servers by allowing the trouble information to pass through the security system established inside and/or outside of the company.
Further, it is preferable that the protocol is an HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol).